Cotton-press.



E. M. WEBKHEISER.

.Patentad Apr. 17, I900.

COTTON PRESS. 4

(Appiieation filed Deg. 21. 1899.)

(No Model.)

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TNE rionms PETERS co|. PHDTO-LITNO., WASHINGTON, n. c.

N0. 647,7l2. Patented Apr. l7, I900. E. M. WERKHEISEB.

COTTON PRESS.

(Application filed Dec; 21, 1899.) I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. s47,7|2. v Pa iehted Apr. I7, 1900. E. m. WERK'HEISEB; COTTONPRESS.

(Application filed Dec. 21, 1899.) (No Model.)

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N STATES PATENT EDVIN M. WERKHEISER OF ARCADIA, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOROF-ONE- HALF TO LEWIS F. WAKEMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

COTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ne. 647,712, dated April17, 1900*.-

Application filed December 21, 1899. Serial No. 741,170. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN lVLWERKHEIsER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Arcadia, in the parish of Bienville and State of Louisiana,have invented a new and useful Cotton-Press, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in presses adapted to form balesfrom cotton-bat and the like; and it consists in the combina tion, witha supporting-frame, of a bale-boX or car adapted to reciprocate thereinand to which the bat is fed and a vertically-movable follower having aseries of horizontally-supported rolls in the path or race of the said.

bale-box or car, the said follower-rolls being supported by the said carand the layers of the bat therein during the process of compressing thebale.

My invention further consists in the peculiar construction andcombination of devices hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

One object of my invention is to provide a press adapted to make balesfrom cotton-bat fed continuously thereto as the bat is formed and whichis capable of forming a bale of maximum density with a minimumexpenditure of power.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press which is adaptedto form square bales composed of superimposed layers of cotton-bat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press adapted to formbales of uniform density of layers of cotton-bat and in which thedensity of the bales may be increased or decreased at will by adding toor taking from the Weight of the follower and its series ofcompressing-rolls.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press which is adaptedto be operated simultaneously with the gin and a condenser for makingcotton-bat and which converts the bat as it is formed into square balesof uniform density composed of superimposed layers of bat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press that is adaptedto form bales from moss, jute, and cotton goods and the like, as well asfrom cotton-bat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a press for cotton andthe like which is extremely cheap in construction, is capable of beingoperated rapidly with but a slight expenditure of power, and in whichthe operating parts are few in number and perfectly accessible and ofsuch simplicity of construction as to be not likely to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalcentral sectional view of a press embodying my improvements, showing thesame connected with a gin, condenser, and conveyor for making cotton-batfrom the lint-cotton as it is discharged from the gin and conveying thesame to the press in which the bat is converted into bales continuously.Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my improved press. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse central sectional view of the same. Figs. 4: and 5 are detailviews of the bale-box or car.

A represents a pair of sills, which are supported and connected togetherby cross-bars or sleepers B. On each of the said sills is erected a sideframe 0, composed each of the longitudinal beam D, supportedhorizontally and at a suitable height above the sill by uprights E andby a pair of standards F, which are located equidistant from the centerof the frame 0 and extend for asuitable height above the beam D.Inclined brace-bars G connect the upper portions of said standards withthe said beam D and serve to brace and strengthen said standards, andthe upper ends of said standards are connected together in pairs by thetransverse beams I. The portions 'of the sills on which the side framesare erected form a race K for a reciprocating bale-box or car L, thattravels horizontally in said race and has the supporting, wheels orrollers M, which are guided on the track-rails N, supported on thesills. The ends of the bale-box or car are open, and the sides thereofare formed of open frames 0 and doors I, which latter are hinged attheir lower sides and adapted to swing outwardly from the car and to besupported when thus opened to a horizontal position upon the projectingV in the false bottom of the bale-box or car.

A pair of sheaves W X are mounted in suitable bearings, the sheaveXbeing located near the outer end of the race and the sheave W beinglocated beyond the inner end-of the race, and on the said sheaves andconnecting them is a traction-belt Y, the ends of which are attached tothe bale-box or car in any suitable manner or as shown in Fig. 1. A

, crank-shaft a, which isniounted in suitable bearings, has its wristconnected to the sheave W by a pitman' b, and said shaft is providedwith a pulley c, 'to which power is communicated by a belt (1 from acountersha'fte. As the cr'ank-shaftrotates the sheave W, because of theconnecting-pitman b, will be moved through a partial rotation, first inone direction and then in the reverse direction, and the saidsheave andcrank-shaftare so proportioned as to cause the sheave to communicatereciprocating motion to the balebox or car through the traction-belt, aswill be readily understood, and cause the car or bale-box to be movedback and forth throughout the race.

' f represents arectangular follower-frame comprising the pair of sidebeams g and the connecting end beams h, and from the sides of thefollower-frame rise vertical standards '5, said standards '5 and thestandardsf of the main frame being provided on their proXimate sideswith guideways la, which serve to keefpthe standardsi at all times in avertical position and to keep the follower-frame at all t'i-mes'i'n ahorizontalposition, while permitting the follower-frame to movevertically between the side frames 0. The length of the follower-frameis nearl y equal to the extrem'e length of the race, and on the underside of the follower-frameis' journaled a series ofhorizontally-disposed follower-rolls Z, andthe said follower frame, withits rolls, is adapted to be lowered into and upon the open endedreciprocating bale-box or car and to be borne upon the same during theprocess of forming a bale. A lever m is fulcrumed under-one of thecrossbars I and is connected to the follower-frame by suitable linksn,the said lever and links serving to raise the follower, with itsrolls, from the car or bale-box when the formation of a bale hasbeencompleted to permit the bale to be bagged, tied, and removed fromthe bale-box or to'theoperation of forming a subsequent bale.

Agin 0 or seriesof gins is located on aefioor above the press, and fromthe gin or series thereof extends a condenser 19, into which thelint-cotton is blown from the gin or gins. In

car prior or near the bottom of the condenser trough or box is locatedan inclined screen 1', of wire or other suitable material, and as thelintcotton is blown through the trough or box of the condenser to thecondenser-rolls the sand, particlesof dirt, and other foreign substanceswhich may be inthe cotton, being heavier than the same, will fall fromthe cotton and pass through the screen, and hence the cotton will bedelivered to the pair of condensingrolls 8 t at the outer end of thetrough of the condenser practically free from foreign substances,andthereby greatl-yim prove the quality of the cotton and enhance itsvalue.

A conveyer u is composed of a downwardlyendless belt or apron w, theupper portionof' the said endless "apron being carried by the lowercondenser-rollt andthe lower portion of said endless apron being carriedupon a roll-er a: at the lower end ofthe conveyer. As the lint-cotton isdelivered to the pairofcondenser-rolls s 25 it is condensed by the sameinto a continuous bat, which iscarried by the conveyer to the lower endthereof and there delivered upon. a slide or chute 1 which guides thebat into the upper end of a spout 2, which equals the bottom of thebale-box or .car in width and the lower end of which passes betweena'rpair of proximate followerrolls at the center of the follower-frameand serves to deliver the bat to the outer end of the bale-box or carwhen the latter is at the inner end of the race. The delivery of the batto the bale-box or car being'continuous, asv the same moves back andforth in the race and under the series of follower-rolls saidfollower-rolls serve to compress the bat in successive layers, whichextend from end to end of the car and are of equal length. The entireweight of the follower-rolls and the followerframe being carried by thecar during the process of forming a bale, the various layers of the baleare subjected to a. pressure equal to the weight of the follower and itsrolls, and therefore each bale formed in the vbaleboX will be of equaldensity. As the car moves back and forth while the successive layers ofthe bat are fed thereto the series of rolls serve to expel'the air frombetween the layers successively as they'are deposited and compressed inthe car or bale-box, thereby increasing the density of the bale. Byadding to the weight of the follower the density of the bales formed bythe press may be correspondingly increased, and .:by reducing the weightof the follower the density of the bales will be correspondinglydiminished. It will be understood that the follower, consisting of theseries of pressure-rollers joulrnaled in the follower-frame, graduallyrises and recedes from the'bottom of the car as the bale is formed.

Before beginning theoperation "of forming the bale the bale-ties will:be placed in the grooves U V, as is usual in presses of this s ngle sclass, and a piece of bagging of suitable length and breadth will beplaced on the bottom of the car to cover the bottom and sides of thebale which is afterward formed thereon. When the last layer of bat hasbeen com- As herein shown and described, my impressed on the bale andthe latter finished, a piece of bagging to cover the top of the bale isfed into the upper end of the spout, the gin or gins being stopped, andthe said bagging will be placed upon the top of the bale by the finalmotion of the bale-box or car, thereby covering the bale. The ties arethen fastened, the same being readily accessible through the spacesbetween the followerrollers. The doors of the bale-box or car areopened, and the follower is then raised by operating its lever, therebypermitting the finished bale to be removed.

In Fig. l of the drawings pulleys and belts are shown, which serve toconvey power from the same counter-shaft e which operates the press tothe gin and conveyer, this arrangement and combination not only insuringthe simultaneous operation of the gin, condenser, conveyer, and press,but also effecting a considerable economy of power.

As will be understood from the foregoing description of the constructionand operation of my improved press, the bales formed by the same will besquare in shape and adapted to be packed closely together in the hold ofa ship or in a warehouse, thereby lessening the danger of fire andcorrespondingly reducing the cost of fire insurance, as well aseffecting a reduction in bulk.

My improved press is not only adapted to form bales of cotton-bat, butis equally effective for making bales of moss, jute, and cotton goodsand the like.

A further advantage gained by my invention is that my improved press maybe constructed at about the same cost as the primitive form ofcotton-presses for making bales of lint-cotton nowin common use. Theparts of my press are fewin number, are perfectly accessible, and may bereadily removed and replaced when necessary in making repairs, and,moreover, my improved press is capable of being operated rapidly with aminimum expenditure of power.

Cotton-bales formed by my improved press, as hereinbefore stated, arecomposed each of the continuous bat of condensed cotton ,which i isgreatly preferred by spinners to the bales of lint-cotton and commands ahigher price in the market.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction andcombination of devices herein shown and described, as it is obvious thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofmy invention, which contemplates, broadly, a series of compressing-rollsin combination with a member having a compressing-surface opposed to therolls, either the series of rolls or said member, or both, movingreciprocally with relation to the other.

and gin, as they may be on a level with each other or the gin may be ona lower level than the press, if required or preferred, withoutimpairing the ability of the conveyer to feed the bat to the press.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. In a press, thecombination, with the series of vertically-movable follower-rolls, of

the reciprocating balebox, said follower-rolls being so mounted as togravitate toward said bale-box, substantially as described.

2. In a press,the combination with the reciprocating open-ended bale-boxor car, traveling in a way or race, of the vertically-movable series offollower-rolls in the race or way of the car, and so mounted as togravitate toward said bale-box or car, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in apress, of the supporting-frame, having the raceor way, of the open-ended reciprocating bale-box or car, traveling insaid race or way, and the vertically-movable follower,having thehorizontal series of rolls, carried thereby, said follower and its rollsbeing disposed in the race or way of the said car, and so mounted as togravitate toward said bale-box or car, during the process of forming abale, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the press, comprising essentially thereciprocating bale-box or car, and the series of vertically-movablefollower-rolls disposed in the race or way thereof, and so mounted as togravitate toward said bale-box or car with the spout or feed device,adapted to introduce the bat to the interior of said box or car, beneaththe said rolls, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a cotton-press of the class described, with thereciprocating, open-ended bale-box or car and the follower having theseries of follower-rolls so mount ed as to gravitate toward saidbale-box or car, when the press is in operation, of a lever or means toraise said follower from said car, and to lower the same thereto, forthe purpose set forth, substantially as described.

6. In a cotton-compress of the class described, the combination with thereciprocating open-ended bale box orcar, of the sheaves disposed at theends of the race in which said car travels, the traction-belt connectingsaid sheaves and attached to said car, the crank shaft and the pitmanconnecting the crank to one of the sheaves, and the vertically-movablefollower disposed in the path of the balebox or car and having thefollower-rollers under which the bottom of the car travels,substantially as described.

7. In a cotton-compress of the class described, the combination of avertically-movable compressing member comprisinga series In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as of rolls and a compressing member havingamy own I have hereto aflixed my signature in plane surface opposed toand forming the the presence of two witnesses.

support of said series of rolls, said members EDWIN M. WERKHEISER. 5being adapted for reciprocating movement Witnesses:

with relation to each other, substantially as E. E. DAVIES,

described. L. F. WAKEMAN.

